Having watched Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce burn up the track in the Beijing Olympics, take command of the stage at various events, and radiate positivity in all her expressions, we are filled with pride as she participates in her fifth and final Olympics. Fraser-Pryce’s rise has inspired ordinary Jamaicans to see their own possibilities. Two years after giving birth to her beloved son Zyon, the exemplary family woman had a triumphant return at the 2019 Doha Diamond League.

“It’s about outdoing you,” she is quoted as saying when interviewed after Doha for the Olympics website, “outdoing the work you did yesterday, or outdoing the goals you had last year. Being fearless, showing up and going out to get it done.”

Yes, we were disappointed that she had an injury during the warm-up session ahead of the 100m semi-finals last Saturday at the Paris Olympics. It was infuriating to see her waiting to be admitted because she was not on the team bus and then forced to walk the long way to the designated area. We wonder if she was trying to warm-up too quickly, having lost time because of a rule which was changed just the day before and was not communicated to the athletes.

Whatever the reason, this does not detract from her Olympics glory and other triumphs over eight eventful years. I understand that when Fraser-Pryce flew down the track to score her first gold for Jamaica, she said that she was doing it for Asafa Powell, who had been facing challenges. Since then she has won six gold medals in the Olympics and World events, pausing only in 2017 for maternity leave. What a comeback she made at Doha, cuddling her infant and waving to the cheering stadium.

I have always said that we Jamaicans are too cool about the legends who live among us. In contrast, Michaela Blyde, a member of the New Zealand Rugby team became so flustered when she spied Fraser-Pryce in Paris that she had to fan herself.

She posted on Instagram, “I just saw royalty. How do I become Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s friend?” To her delight, Fraser-Pryce replied to her loyal subject, and they finally met. Shelly was seen cheering in the stands for the New Zealand Team. After Blyde’s team won the women’s rugby gold medal, Blyde named her gold medal ‘Shelly’.

As we celebrate Emancipation and Independence, let us tell stories about achievers like Fraser-Pryce, who have raised the bar for decency, courage, and excellence.

The emergence of Kamala Harris

Suddenly, ripples of excitement are expanding from the shores of the US to ours in Jamaica and as far away as India. The dignified, patriotic US President Joe Biden read the room and decided to step back from his expected nomination as the Democratic Party’s candidate for the November US presidential election two weeks ago and endorsed his vice-president, Kamala Harris, as the new candidate.

Practically overnight, Harris became a favourite of millennials and gen-Zers, who flooded
TikTok with videos of her dancing, and giving famous one-liners, including her response to former US Vice-President Mike Pence who attempted to interrupt her in the Vice-Presidential Debate in 2020: “Mr Vice-President, I am speaking … I am speaking.” Those gentle but firm words hit a high note for women the world over who have had to repeatedly assert themselves in the face of disrespect.

Last Friday afternoon, after a virtual session of voting by delegates, Harris was able to score enough votes on her way to becoming the official nominee for the party’s presidential campaign. Responding to this, President Biden posted on social media, “One of the best decisions I’ve made was picking Kamala Harris as my vice-president. Now that she will be our party’s nominee, I couldn’t be prouder.”

Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have endorsed Harris, pledging their support to get her into the Oval Office. Harris’s campaign has hired several members of the Obama campaign to help direct its operations. Members of the Jamaican and wider Caribbean Diaspora have joined in the campaigning, believing that the Republican’s ‘Project 2025’ plan could very well affect even legal immigrants.

Harris’s life has been a series of firsts — first woman of African and Indian ethnicity to be Attorney General of California, first of her kind to represent the state as senator, first to be vice-president of the US. It is a record that speaks of what may come in November.

Visit to St Elizabeth

After a sleepless night securing items when her roof was blown off her house by Hurricane Beryl, Joan Martin headed down the Malvern main road to check on the elderly in her community. As the CCRP St Elizabeth parish representative, Martin is dedicated to the elderly, putting them ahead of her own needs.

When we visited her the week after Beryl struck, the returning resident was full of gratitude to the workmen in her neighbourhood who had gathered to assist her in replacing her roof and ceiling and were repainting her house.

“I have so much testimony to share,” she said. “This good man, who had done odd jobs at my house, met me on the road when I was checking on the old folks. He got a team together and look at my house – almost back to normal!”

Joan has been delivering our care packages to the elderly and met with Justine Henzell of Breds Foundation to share the packages for the elderly in Treasure Beach. Give thanks for the good Jamaicans who have been reaching out to help our elderly. We are grateful also to National Council for Senior Citizens, who distributed our care packages, and donors Sandals Foundation, Digicel Foundation, and JPS Foundation.

Judy Mowatt’s Health Fair

Beloved Judy Mowatt of the famous I-Threes and her daughter held a Love Affair Community Health Fair for 120 citizens in Long Bay, Portland, last month. Partners were Lions Club, which assisted with eye testing and glasses; the Ministry of Health and Wellness; National Health Fund; Registrar General’s Department; Tax Administration Jamaica; CIBC; Jah Jah Foundation; and Vincent & Patricia Foundation.

Wallata’s Seafood Restaurant, owned by Mowatt’s daughter, treated the children to pizza, saltfish fritters, all-natural juices and back-to-school supplies.

“The health fair was to prove God’s love for the people of Rural Hill and its environs,” said Mowatt. “An ancient philosopher once said the fortunate few should be responsible for the unfortunate many. I do believe that is my calling.”

Jean Lowrie-Chin is the founder of CCRP, a legacy project of her company PROComm. Send comments to lowriechin@aim.com.

US Vice-President Kamala Harris (Photo: AFP)